US installs record 13 GW of new wind energy in 2012

January 2013: According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the US installed a record 13.2 gigawatts of new wind energy generating capacity in 2012 - more than a 100% increase over the 6.5 gigawatts installed in 2011. The growth came on a late-year surge in installations, as developers rushed to bring projects to completion ahead of expiration of the federal Production Tax Credit.

The US now has 60 GW of cumulative wind energy generating capacity, comprising 6% of the country’s overall electricity generating capacity.

“Eleven gigawatts of capacity was built in states without any near-term state mandated demand. This means that in most areas, utilities are buying wind power because they want to, not because they have to.”